Here’s a message I came across recently:
“[A]ll I want to do is stay home with my family. That’s the whole reason I’m giving this business thinga go. I just want to get to the point that I can hire someone and only have to be there a couple days a week myself.”
I didn’t even know how to reply to this remark. Except: It’s a lot easier and cheaper to, uh, just stay home with the family.
How to avoid getting into this situation yourself? Read and heed Too Good to be Threw Complete Operations Manual for Resale & Consignment Shops before you lease that space, buy that business, or tell all your friends to start saving their stuff.
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
Oh Kate! This is just how I feel! We bought our business exactly 1yr ago. The winter was not good on us. The power bill lol was more then my monthly sales. It was cold, people didn’t want to come out! Just absolutely horrible. With warmer Temps everyday I keeping my chin up and my store full! To hire is totally out of question. My rual town don’t pack enough punch for a small store such as mine. Although I have the only clothes for 30 plus miles, there is always something do in a second hand consignment store.
Wow, Anna, if you’re the only place to buy clothes in a 30 mile radius, you have it made… assuming that folks are constantly reminded that you exist and that you have the selection they want at the prices they think are fair.
Coming off a harsh winter, I’ll bet everyone’s wanting to get out and get socializing/ shopping. Which is a great strength for resale shops.
Hiring is only out of the question until you reach the point where you are missing more business because you can’t do it all, and well, alone. Here’s to reaching that point quickly and gracefully!
I have enough to keep up with by maintaining a booth inside a resale shop!
Merchandising, cleanliness, tagging, etc. etc. takes up a good portion of my time, not to forget the “fun” of gathering stock. I have been asked why I don’t have a whole shop and I just smile…
Oh, so true!